January 6, 2009

The Sin Of The Pharisees

The sin of the Pharisees was neglecting the weightier matters of the law. Matthew 23:23 In terms of importance this sin is a greater sin. It is committed willfully, repeatedly and knowingly with a calloused heart.

Only with the assistance of the Holy Spirit can the Christian properly discern the presence of sin but also the deceptiveness of the heart. Left to our own human devices we are certainly always going to be deceived.

Most American evangelicals believe that the only Gentile condition for salvation is believing and without delay the Holy Spirit is obligated to save. (see Schofield note 2 g - Acts 2:4) This places the final decision on the individual and eliminates both the willful desire of the Father and the fulfilling work of the Holy Spirit.

There has created a false belief that the inspired Word from the Holy Spirit is replaced with the rational discourse of the "mere" mind of man who properly exegetes the Word. (Schofield note ICor 14:1) He who properly exegetes the Word has the presence of God Himself. Believing this exegesis obligates God to act according to his Word. This human twisting of God's arm is shameful and brings awful consequences.

The Pharisees believed that a strict legalism obligates God to honor their reverence and obediance. American Evangelicalism denounces Pharisaical legalism and embraces easy believism.

Both groups create a false "island of righteousness" from which springs all sorts of hypocrisy.
That sin is religious pride, tedious devotion to outward conformance (self perfection) to the neglect of the important matters (the glory of others).

So let me say that when Joyce Rogers sought the protection of her husband's legacy she was acting from this "island of righteousness" and neglected a prayerful searching of the mind of Christ from the Holy Spirit. She was "pharisaical" shamefully so and failed to denounce the awful sin of Paul Williams and did harm to the one who bore the painful consequence of that criminal act, Chris Williams. She thought only of herself and nothing at all of Chris. She, of all people, should have made a public display with the same fervency she rushed to protect her husband and embraced Chris Williams. That is what Christ would have done!

She of all people should have led the congregation back to God, allied with Steve Gaines seeking to repair the breech between an offended God and a broken church. No, she jumped ship!

She has now reaped the consequences of opposition to Calvinism. The teaching of Pelagius has bore it's fruit and reaped it's awful destruction. People still will say "theology is not important!"
"Though she is wrong she is sincere! God love her." That won't cut it!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Page: You don't have to worry about who is and who is not laughing at you. The WHOLE WORLD is laughing at you; everyone. I saw your posts yesterday on Bro. Wade's blog. Why did he delete them?

On your blog you comment on how many people visit your site and then you ask the question why they are not commenting. Could it be they are laughing so hard they cannot see the keys.

My dear fellow you are so patheic. Please seek some REAL help and soon.

WatchingHISstory said...

My dear anon

I assume you are naturally lying because how do you know the whole world is laughing at me? You don't, so you just lie!

Now my immediate family, wife two daughters, two sons-in-law, four grand children, my mom and dad, my broyther and his family, my wife's family, her two brothers, wives, children, my pastor, my Bible fellowship class, my work place, a packed room full of my peers (two of my rowdy friends laughed - they don't count), my boss, who corrected my two rowdy friends, my men's prayer breakfast group, hundreds of strangers (maybe a few laughed) My many internet friends who don't laugh. I related my story to two Baptist pastors and they didn't laugh.

Wade deleted a bunch of us because we were off topic, which I respect, it's his blog. A regular commenter to his blog e-mailed me a nice understanding message. He's not laughing he has his own embarrassments to laugh at anyone else. He is a kind person.

So now you say the whole world is laughing. Aren't you lying? My dear fellow you are so patheic. Please seek some REAL help and soon. Lying can get out of control and be a pathological habit.